Member News

Position Title: Paraplanner

Position Description:

Step into an instrumental role. Help conduct the smooth operation of a fast-paced—and friendly—financial planning office. Work as an employee of an independent advisor franchisee with a financial advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial. Assist in daily business operations.

The paraplanner will primarily assist financial advisor(s) and associate financial advisor(s) in the financial planning workflow. This position will consistently follow high standards of business and professional ethics and legal and regulatory requirements when dealing with others and/or performing work activities.

This role provides client relationship support through managing, gathering and analyzing client data, helping prepare preliminary financial plans and other client deliverables, working with clients to resolve issues and other practice management tasks as needed. Responds to ad hoc requests, coordinates/tracks projects and/or manages business-as-usual projects such as organizing a client seminar.

Responsibilities and Time Allocation – Will change over time to meet the needs of the practice and can include other duties as assigned by the advisor.

·Prepare charts, graphs, tables and other visual aids to be used in implementation meetings with clients

·Develop portfolio/robust product solution recommendations that will fit the client’s risk tolerance and time frame as well as develop appropriate product deliverables

40%

Client Care / Business Management

·Maintain client contact during the financial planning process. Answer questions and provide readily available information to clients, if requested and as allowable, as it relates to servicing their accounts

·Review and update client information as needed for client review meetings. Attend and participate in client meetings if necessary.

·Manage and resolve client service problems

·Perform other allowable duties as assigned by the financial advisor(s)

Starting a business is a big achievement for many entrepreneurs, but maintaining one is the larger challenge. There are many standard challenges that face every business whether they are large or small. It is not easy running a company, especially in a fast-paced, ever-changing business world. Technology advances, new hiring strategies, and now, political changes coming with the new administration, all add to the existing business challenges that entrepreneurs, business owners, and executives have to deal with.

Maximizing profits, minimizing expenses and finding talented staff to keep things moving seem to be top challenges for both SMBs and large corporations. We have been interviewing companies from around the world to discover what challenges they are facing in their businesses. We also asked each company to share business advice they would give to a younger version of themselves.

Entropy Technology Design, Inc., is a certified 51% woman-owned software/hardware-driven threat detection company specializing in severe weather, lightning, tornado detection and other threats such as mortar fire, sandstorms, tunneling and drones. My company has developed a disruptive new technology that will improve how we react to severe weather and other threats. Entropy’s NIMBUS™ proprietary technology platform detects and alerts users in real-time of severe weather. Integrated with key partners we will also provide early detection and disconnect features to safely take valuable electronics offline to avoid surge damage and loss of equipment. Nimbus will help save human lives, animal lives and property. This technology’s warnings in worldwide geographic areas without U.S. weather capabilities is critical. Although we developed this technology with the primary function of lightning, thunderstorm and detection in real-time, we have found other applications that are needed to protect the skies and waterways.

What is your role? What do you enjoy most about your role?

I am the founder and CEO of Entropy Technology Design, Inc. It is a thrilling challenge to be a woman in this male-dominated industry. I enjoy being part of a technology platform that will change many aspects of the weather, natural disaster, drone, and military combat arena. Nimbus will be a critical interface with IoT, smart cities, the fight against terrorism and climate change. Imagine knowing you will be the first to provide tornado detection that gives a person up to two hours’ notice even at night!

Just imagine how valuable this is to first-responders (e.g., police, firefighters, EMTs). I can trust my entrepreneurial instincts to push through all the blockades, traps, and closed financial doors to find a way through or around obstacles which energizes my business acumen. I love turning a “no” into a “yes.” Hard work, ingenuity and a can-do attitude at the end of the day fuels me. True entrepreneurs never give up. Period.

What are the biggest challenges in your business right now?

Naysayers and access to capital. Like Elon Musk (whom I hope to meet one day), or anyone who started with nothing and fought to bring an alien concept to life, they likely encountered the naysayers. The Chinese proverb I have in my email signature says it all : “The person who says something is impossible to do shouldn’t interrupt the person who is doing it.” Secondly, access to capital that doesn’t suck the life or kick out the founders.

I am not building and growing this company to just abandon my baby. I have had to fight with everything in me to maintain my 51% control. I find it pathetic that it is quite acceptable for founders to be expected to starve as they create their masterpiece only for the sharks to wait or create vulnerability, so they can bully their way into ownership. This needs to change. It occurred to me that while I absolutely can say #MeToo I would also suggest a business version of #MineToo!

If you could go back in time, what business advice would you give to a younger version of yourself?

Regardless of your place or position in life, don’t allow yourself to be bullied or manipulated by anyone. I know now that “calm wisdom” does seem to come with age. As I look back, I have always been unafraid of uncharted waters. In fact, it is what took this Midwestern girl and helped her survive and overcome an oppressive marriage and her escape from Beirut. I would tell a younger version of myself that change only comes when you survive and overcome your obstacles. Don’t view them as failures, think of them as a new pair of stilettos when the old ones go out of style. You cannot hide from life. You have to demolition it one brick at a time towards success.

We've outgrown our old recycling facility at 5144 Le Tourneau Circle in Tampa. We now occupy a new warehouse at 5630 East Powhatan Avenue, just across from Hillsborough Boulevard. Last year, Urban E Recycling recycled around 3.2 million pounds. With our growing number of dedicated customers, we had filled the capacity of our previous facility. We see our business as always improving and that means we needed more space. The relocation occured for several reasons that benefit both customers and our business. We needed more space for our recycling process to take place and offices to manage day to day details. We also wanted a location that would streamline deliveries and pickup services that would be convenient for customer drop offs.

The Neighborly Care Network is seeking an Executive Director who can increase the agency’s capacity to serve its clients and accomplish its mission of ensuring, maintaining and improving the quality of life for seniors throughout Pinellas County through the provision of life-sustaining services. Please click here to review the full position description. Please send confidential inquiries, cover letter and resume via e-mail to mturman@catalystcs.org.

To learn more about the Neighborly Care Network, please visitneighborly.org.

Executive Director, Heart Gallery of Tampa

The Heart Gallery is entering a new period of organizational growth to increase its mission of raising awareness of Tampa’s foster children who are waiting to be adopted into loving families. As part of this exciting time, the Board of Directors is actively seeking an Executive Director and has retained Catalyst Consulting Services to facilitate this executive recruitment. Please review theposition description send confidential inquiries, cover letter and resume via e-mail to mturman@catalystcs.org.

If you are a Business Owner, Executive, Leader, Manager or Supervisor and connect with lots of employees, then you will want to attend this seriously-informative seminar! At a minimum, your HR person should be there!

Note: Workplace Violence is now at epidemic numbers….from incivilities to bullying to harassment to vengefulness to homicide and active shooters. It doesn’t have to be that way! Whether you’re concerned about keeping your facility safe, or untangling and stopping dysfunctional behaviors, you’ll learn “the essentials” to reduce the risk of Workplace Violence in your workplace, and within your Team.

This session is presented by Claire Knowles (of Lights On!) and her partners, at Nagele, Knowles and Associates. They are hosting/presenting a breakfast / info session on the above subject on Friday, May 18th in Tampa at the Kaizen Collaborative Center, starting promptly at 8:30 and ends at 10:30 am. (Fee: $24.95)

Samantha Taylor Fitness for women is hiring! If you or anyone you know is looking for a fulfilling career in the health and fitness field, Samantha Taylor has many openings available in her five locations:

Urban E Recycling is proud to celebrate Earth Day with the Greater Tampa Bay community for the third year in a row. This year's Earth Day Trivia event will he held at Sons of Italy Hall, 3316 West Lemon Street in Tampa from 6-10p.m.. As always, there is NO CHARGE for this event.

There will be an open bar with beer, wine, liquor and non-alcoholic drinks. We will serve sandwiches and salads. Then the fun begins; Earth Trivia with over $2,000 worth of prizes given away that night.

We ask that you form teams of 4 to 8 members with your organization, family or friends. If you don’t have a team, no problem. We will set you up with a potentially winning team.

This is a community appreciation event. There is absolutely no charge for this event.
Open Bar
Sandwiches & Salads
Earth Trivia with Prizes
Family Friendly – Children Welcome